It Only Made Me Stronger
by Elephantastiic
Summary: Captain Lowell Harris escapes from prison and comes after Olivia, resulting in another attack. This time, it's for real. Olivia is found but Harris gets away which leads to a forbidden investigation. M for later chapters!
1. Revenge

**Author's Note: This fanfic is extremely special because it's based off a Youtube video I recently watched and the creator was nice enough to let me write a fanfiction inspired from that video. I just added a few things to make it longer. The video is called "Under Pressure" and it's a fake trailor for SVU. Go watch it! It's intense and too amazing for words! Thanks IrreveRANT100!**

**Disclaimer: The underlying plot of this story goes to IrreveRANT100! Thanks for making a wonderful video to inspire this story!**

**All things Law and Order: SVU go to Dick Wolf! The characters, the settings everything!**

**I own nothing! C:**

**Chapter One: Revenge**

**Warning: This first chapter is graphic. Reader discretion is advised!**

"Are you sure you don't need a ride, Liv?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Trust me. Plus you have somewhere to be so I don't want you to go out of your way."

"You know, the street lights are out because of the rain. It's dangerous."

"I'm a big girl, El. I can take care of myself."

He gave her a look of doubt.

"Fine, I'll take a cab but I'm going walk a few blocks down so I don't have to spend my life savings on the fare."

"Call me as soon as you get home or I'm going to get you an escort for the rest of your life."

The two said their goodbyes and the precinct was empty after that.

The night was exceptionally dark. It was raining and the streets were nearly empty. Olivia Benson walked down one of those empty streets from a long day at work. She was without an umbrella so turned to her hood. The hood was soaked and did no good to keep her hair dry. As she walked, she passed a near empty parking lot that rested under a tall building. She thought nothing of it until she heard a piercing scream coming from a dumpster inside the indoor garage; it was a female's scream and she was calling for help.

Olivia jumped at the cry. She opened the door to the garage and ran inside. She pulled out her transceiver and brought it to her lips and at the same time, she was reaching for her gun.

"This is Olivia Benson, Special Victims Unit. I have a screaming girl, possibly being raped. I urgently need a bus to-" Her words were cut off by her own yelp of pain. She felt something hard and thick hit her lower back. When she dropped to the ground, her radio flew out of her hand and landed far away from where she fell. She tried to ignore the pain for the time being and focus on what really happened. When she got her eyes to open fully, there was a figure standing over her. Her vision was a little blurred but she could make out some of the features.

"The screams were prerecorded just to lure you in here. Did you miss me, Detective?" His words dripped with venom that made Olivia's skin crawl; she knew that voice perfectly. She tried to reach for her gun but the tip of his shoe collided with her stomach and she curled over in pain. That's when she felt him take her gun.

She coughed numerous times and she looked up at him. He also had her handcuffs in his possession. She used all of her strength to kick him in the groin and scratch his leg. It worked and she was able to get up and begin to run. Her speed was slowed from the hits and she didn't get far until he threw something at her head and knocked her unconscious.

A few minutes later, Olivia woke up to her wrists handcuffed together and her feet tied together as well. Her head was killing her as well as her back and stomach. She could feel the warm blood run down her arm and face. Her vision cleared up a bit but it wasn't great. Her attacker kneeled close to her.

"I've come prepared this time, sweetie. You're not going to get away."

Olivia replied with a low moan and tilted her head. He grabbed her jaw and faced him. Her eyes widened and she began to come back to reality.

"You're not going to get away with what you put me through, you bitch." He whispered.

Olivia began to scream and yell. She even screamed Elliot's name a few times, forgetting that he was already half way back to Queens by now. She did her best to move and get her ankles out of the rope. The handcuffs were cutting into her skin and the rope was scratching her ankles. His strong hands pinned her shoulders to the ground.

"Scream all you want. Nobody's going to find you. Plus, we have unfinished business to complete." He growled. Olivia continued to cry for help. The dark moments of Sealview ran through her mind at that time. She struggled and fidget. Everything was a blur and moving so quickly. The attacker let out a growl of frustration and hit her in the head again with the thick and hard hit her in the head.

Everything from that point on went black.

Moments later, police sirens came closer to the empty parking lot. Fin and Munch exited one car while Elliot quickly followed. He obviously came from a formal event; his suit was getting soaked from the downpour.

"We managed to track her radio but we lost it. She was calling for a bus but then she turned it off. The tracking points led us to here." Fin said and ran into the lot with the two. They ran inside the parking lot and when they reached the dumpster, they saw a limp hand peeking out from behind. The three ventured closer.

"Shit, no! Olivia!" Was all Elliot could scream out when he found the discovery. He ran over to Olivia's unconscious and half naked body.

"Munch, call a bus! Now!" He screamed. His voice was cracking and he turned back to Olivia.

Her body was limp and cold but she was just barely breathing when he pressed his fingertips to the base of her neck. Her shirt had been ripped open along with her bra and her pants and underwear were pulled down to her ankles, which were untied but red from the tightness of the rope. Her wrists were also cut from the handcuffs that reposed next to her body. There were many cuts and bruises running along her body and she was bleeding profusely. He took off his jacket and covered her with it. Tears streaked his cheeks as he held Olivia's body close to his.

"Stay with me, Liv. Everything will be okay." He cooed. He looked around, "Where the hell is that ambulance?" He screamed. He stroked Olivia's hair and kept her close until the paramedics took over. Then he heard the other sirens in the distance. He watched the paramedics put an oxygen mask over her face and take her off on a stretcher.

"She's lost a lot of blood!"

"She needs more oxygen!"

Their instant diagnoses were all muffled and Elliot's mind was fuzzy from the event that just occurred. He then jumped when he felt Munch's hand on his shoulder.

"Fin and I will go let Cap know. You ride with Liv."

Elliot nodded and jumped into the ambulance and rode off into the midnight downpour.

**Author's Note: This was a really sad chapter but I'm glad it's out of the way. C:**


	2. Bond

**Chapter Two: Bond**

The room was silent. The only sounds that disrupted the tranquility were the monotone beeps coming from the machines and the chatter and footsteps outside of the hospital room. Elliot sat in the quiet room sitting back in the chair in disbelief. His moist blue eyes focused on the body in front of him that lied still in the hospital bed. Olivia's beautiful tan skin was washed out and she was hooked up to wires and needles. Each arm had about two or three large bruises and there were more on her abdomen and legs. Her face was mostly clear of any signs of injury except for a small bruise on her jaw. Elliot blinked and let a few tears fall from his eyes.

_How could I let this happen?_ He thought to himself. He should have stopped Olivia from walking out into the dangerous night by herself. With the things they see everyday, he knew better to let her become the victim. Now, it was too late. A long time ago, Elliot made a self-promise that he would protect Olivia no matter what. He broke the promise. He couldn't help but to take the blame for Olivia getting raped. Then, there was a quiet knock on the door.

"Excuse me." A female voice said. Elliot wiped his eyes and turned around. "I'm Doctor Caroline Keaton, Miss. Benson's doctor."

A middle-aged, African American woman in a white coat stepped into the room. Her professional smile turned sympathetic when she noticed Elliot's red and puffy eyes and his tear stained cheeks. She didn't say anything about it; she mostly pretended not to notice and used the dim lighting as an excuse. The doctor slipped a clipboard from underneath her arm and began to read off of it.

"As you already know, she was raped." That part alone made Elliot want to punch something, he feared the rest, "None of her internal organs were harmed, no broken bones, but she was beaten a little worse than you could probably tell. We found injuries on her head and if she was hit any harder, we would've had to perform surgery. Luckily, she'll go through the routine healing process of a ordinary bump, cut, and bruise. We ran a rape kit and she is clear of any STDs or other illnesses."

"Any fluids?" Elliot dared to ask. The thought of someone penetrating was bad but knowing that he finished off the job inside of her was ten times worse.

The doctor nodded, "He refrained from using a condom and we found skin cells underneath her fingernails. She's a smart one for that. We need to give her the morning after pill as soon as she wakes up so call me when she does. " Doctor Keaton tucked away her clipboard, "I'll call the Special Victims Unit to begin their investigation."

"We _are_ the Special Victims Unit." Elliot said irritably, "She and I are partners." He showed her his badge and looked back at Olivia. He didn't look back but he presumed she left soon after.

Elliot went back to his sulking and self-remorse. He ran his hands along his face and then buried it in them. After letting out a few shaky sighs, he heard a noise to let him know he wasn't alone anymore. Soft moans began to fill the room and when he looked up, Olivia was stirring. Her worn out eyes opened and she blinked slowly multiple times. Then her eyebrows furrowed. It was clear on her face she had no clue where she was or why she was there. When she looked to her left, she calmed down a little at the sight of Elliot but she was still perplexed. Elliot tried his best to smile.

"The doctor said I had to let her know when you woke up so she could give you the pill."

Olivia's eyebrows furrowed again, "What pill?" She was whispering and her voice was hoarse, "El, what happened? Why am I in the hospital?"

Elliot sighed deeply, "Liv, you were raped. The doctor just said you'll be fine, though." The horror in Olivia's eyes appeared instantly. She knew that even though she would physically be fine, everything around her was not going to be All he wanted to do was hold her at that moment. Then she remembered everything that happened before she was knocked out. She fell back onto the pillow and shut her eyes tightly. Her left hand screened her eyes, covering the upcoming tears. Then, she cried silently. The teardrops poured down her cheeks like rapid rainfalls. Elliot watched her, unable to feel the pain she was going through. He positioned his hand lightly on her bruised shoulder; she jolted instantly at his touch and the look of fear appeared on her face for a quick second. At that moment, Elliot felt like he harmed her; he felt like part of monster who raped and almost killed her.

"Who did this to you?" He asked subtly and quickly took back his hand when she flinched.

Olivia wanted to tell him. She wanted to scream the bastard's name from the top of her lungs but she couldn't. If she told him it was Harris who did this to her, he wouldn't understand why an ex prison guard would want to come after Olivia out of everybody in the precinct. Most perps did, but Harris was still serving time in jail and Elliot assisted in arresting him. Fin was undercover there with Olivia. So why her? Olivia would then have to explain what happened in the basement that horrid day. Years later, Elliot still didn't know. After it happened, Elliot stopped asking and everybody dismissed the situation. Olivia didn't feel it was necessary to bring it up again, no matter how many times it replayed in her head.

"I don't know." She lied and masked it with a quivery sigh. She turned her head to him, "He hit me with something and knocked me unconscious." She turned away, giving him the message that she didn't want to talk about it anymore. Then Fin appeared in the doorway

"Elliot, Cragen wants to-" He stopped when he noticed Olivia was awake. She gave him a weak smile and he smiled back. "Hey there, soldier. How you feelin'?" Fin knew about what happened to Olivia back at Sealview and he knew about her PTSD but he promised not to tell anybody before Olivia did, if she did. The promise still remains. Olivia didn't have to give him a verbal answer for him to know how she really was. Something this traumatic couldn't be a walk in the park. Especially the second time around. He turned back to Elliot, "Cragen wants to ask you a few things."

"I'll go tell everybody you're awake." Elliot said and began to stand up. He was midway upright when Olivia placed her hand on his forearm, "El, don't. Let me just talk to Fin for a moment." Elliot gave her a look of confusion but she smiled sweetly, "And the pill." She finished before he left.

Fin took Elliot's seat and as soon as Elliot closed the door, Olivia broke down. Tears instantly beaded in her eyes and fell down her cheeks, her chin was trembling, and she could barely speak.

"Harris.." She choked out, "Raped me."

"How the hell did he do that? He's in jail!" Fin exclaimed quietly, just incase people could hear outside.

Olivia only shrugged, "I looked him right in the eye, Fin."

"Did you tell Elliot?"

"No. I told him I didn't know who it was."

Fin sighed, "I think you should, Liv. He's going to find out the hard way if you don't. But until he does, I'll keep my mouth shut."

There was a knock at the door and Elliot stepped in. Doctor Keaton was behind him as well as the whole SVU team. Olivia looked at Elliot with interrogating eyes. He only shrugged.

"He's been in there for about two hours without us. We only figured you were awake when he came out." Munch said.

Olivia smiled and relaxed.

"Here you go, Olivia." Keaton handed her the pills and a paper cup filled with water. Olivia swallowed them as the event replayed in her mind and she did her best not to cry again. There was still some water left in the cup; Olivia stared down into it and swished it around when she was done taking the pills. She figured she should stop playing with it and drink it, so she did.

"I sent your rape kit to the M.E. and the results came back pretty quickly. It seems your attacker is already in the system. DNA of a Lowell Harris was found inside of you as well as underneath your fingernails."

"I guess this was the hard way." Fin muttered and looked over at Elliot.

Olivia choked on her water. Not because she was surprised, because the doctor announced it in front of everybody. Including Elliot, who did look shocked and angry. There was a big vein throbbing in his temple. Olivia's rarely ever seen him this angry. Elliot left the room to calm down. Everybody else looked from the doctor to Olivia for an explanation. The secret was out.


	3. Rebellion

**Chapter Three: Rebellion **

Elliot stormed out of the hospital. He needed to hit something, anything. He found a metal sign and punched it a few times. So much was going through his mind at that moment. He didn't even know the underlying reason to his anger. It was all so overwhelming. How Olivia looked when he found her entered his mind. Her unconscious body lying on the cold and wet pavement in the garage was so helpless and vulnerable. She was possibly dying at the moment he found her. What if he was too late and she did die? How could he live with himself?

When Elliot returned to the hospital room, most of the people left. Fin left right as Elliot walked back in with sore knuckles and a semi-clear head. Munch hung around with a newspaper in his hands. His eyes skimmed the text behind his dark glasses. When Elliot walked in, he glanced up and folded the paper.

"I guess it's time for my shift change. See you tomorrow, Liv." John said. He gave Olivia a hug and walked out.

Olivia smiled and then turned to Elliot's red and injured knuckles. She sat up and reached out for his hands. The doctors took her off the needles and wires so she was allowed to move more than before. The color in her skin returned a little and she looked less desolate.

"What the hell did you do? Come here." She ordered and took Elliot's hands into hers. Grabbing a napkin, she dipped it in some water and ran it gently to clean off the blood.

"If I wanted medical attention, Liv, I'd be in one of those beds. But I'm not, you are. You're the one who needs to be looked after." Elliot slowly pulled his hands away and guided her to lie back and get comfortable. He pulled up the blanket and poured her a cup of water.

"I'll be out of here tomorrow. Tonight if I'm lucky." Olivia sighed and rested her head back against the pillow. The look in her eyes made it obvious she was thinking about what got her into the hospital. Elliot had so many questions he wanted to ask her but he didn't want to put her through that hell again.

"He could be anywhere right now." Olivia muttered. Her voice cracked and tears rimmed the edge of her eyes. Her eyes remained on the ceiling and turned to Elliot who was looking right at her. When her eyes shifted, a few tears escaped and ran down her cheek. Elliot didn't know what to say to comfort her. He couldn't comfort her. The only thing that could make this a little better was to catch him.

The following day, Elliot couldn't work or even focus without Olivia sitting across from him. What made it worse was, he was studying the new Lowell Harris case and his thoughts were more on Olivia than Harris. He closed the file folder and slid it in his desk drawer. He stood up and grabbed his coat.

"Where are you going?" Cragen asked as he emerged from his office.

"To see Olivia. I wanted to ask her a few things." Elliot replied.

"I'm listening, El." Came a voice from the doors of the precinct. Olivia walked in as if she hadn't been in the hospital for rape and just coming in to work. Which she was. She took a seat at her desk and began to flip through her files on the older case that involved Harris.

"Olivia, what are you doing here?" Cragen turned his attention to Elliot's partner now.

Olivia didn't look up, "I signed myself out. I feel much better."

"What are you doing now?"

"I'm trying to find some previous information about Lowell Harris. Maybe that'll be a good start on this case."

"Liv," Cragen sighed, "I'm forbidding you to be involved in this case. I don't think you're stable enough. Take some time off to heal."

Olivia looked up, "Captain, I have to. Lowell Harris could be across the country by now or on his way out of it. I need to find him." She argued.

"I'm not changing my mind, Olivia."

"Then who's going to take the case?"

"That's none of your concern."

"Captain, please-"

"That's an order. If I find out you're doing anything that relates to this case, or Lowell Harris, then there will be serious consequences. Stay out of it." Olivia watched him turn on his heel and walk into his office. Elliot, who was witnessing the whole thing, looked at Olivia. She didn't look sad or angry, but determined. A few seconds of staring at the closed office door, Olivia turned around and walked out.

When night came around, Olivia snuck back into the precinct. She knew what she was doing could suspend her from her job but she had to put Harris behind bars. The first stop was Elliot's desk. She opened the drawer and took the folder he put in earlier. After that, she collected some old files from her desk. Then she took a seat at Elliot's computer and began searching for anything that could help her.

"I'm telling." Whispered a voice in her ear.

Olivia jumped and pulled out her gun. She turned around and pointed it at the owner of the voice. Her hands were shaking and she was panting. She was close to pulling the trigger when she noticed it was only Elliot. He didn't seem scared at all. Olivia, on the other hand, was petrified. Elliot put his hands up in defeat. When the moment was safe, he pushed her gun down slowly until she jerked it away.

"I thought you'd recognize my voice." He said and watched as Olivia put her gun away, "What are you doing?"

Olivia let out a deep breath and turned back around and began to print a few things, "I'm going to track down Harris." She stood up and went over to the printer.

"You know you could lose your job." Elliot said.

"I know." Olivia replied unaffected, and kept searching through some files in a big cabinet.

"You know Cragen could hate you forever."

"I know." Now, she was stuffing things from her locker into a gym bag.

"You know it'll be hard. Cragen's ordered everybody not to give you any information."

"I know." Now, she was getting irritated.

"You know-" Elliot stopped when Olivia turned to him and gave him an exasperated glare.

"You know you can't do this alone." Elliot finished and began to take things out of his locker. Most of them consisted of files that Olivia never would've found. Olivia watched him in amazement.

"You know you could lose your job if you help me, El." Olivia told him.

"I know." Elliot smirked and grabbed his own bag, "We're not going to catch him any sooner by just standing here, though." With that said, he closed his locker, turned around and walked towards the exit.

Olivia smiled with admiration and closed her own locker. She quickly caught up with him and they left the precinct together.


	4. Burden

**Chapter Four: Burden**

"He has two addresses." Olivia declared as she read off the file beneath the car light. "One's in Queens and the other is in Staten Island." She looked up at Elliot to find a solution.

"Well, don't you want to go home and get some sleep? You've had a long day." Elliot said as he started up the car. He let the inside warm up a little and read some of the file with Olivia. Olivia shook her head when he looked at her for an answer but he knew she really wanted to sleep but wanted to catch Harris more. Her eyes looked tired but he wasn't going to anger her. Throughout the drive, Elliot caught Olivia nodding off. They were basically in Queens at that point so starting early would be better. Elliot knew it would be a waste to drive back to Manhattan just to take her home and pick her back up then go back to Queens. He drove to his house and pulled into his driveway. By that time, Olivia was asleep.

"Liv," He said softly and gently shook her.

"Are we here?" Olivia asked tiredly as she straightened up and looked around.

"No, we're both tired so I'm going to let you stay at my house and tomorrow we're going to go to the first address."

"No, no, let's just-" Olivia was cut off by a huge yawn. Elliot only looked at her with a warm smile that confirmed he proved his point.

When Elliot opened the front door, he got Olivia to lie down on the couch. A few moments later, Elliot heard stairs squeaking. He looked up to see the thin blonde in a dark green robe. She peeked from the top of the stairs.

"Elliot?" Kathy whispered. She continued down the stairs and approached him. She was confused as to why he was home so suddenly but happy he was nonetheless. "Did something happen at work?" She asked.

"Ah, no, Kathy. Actually, we're starting a new case." He nodded towards his sleeping partner on their couch. She looked so peaceful when she slept. Elliot didn't blame her; she probably didn't get a chance to sleep on something comfortable for the past day or two, if she got a chance to sleep at all.

Kathy turned to Olivia and stared at her for a few seconds, she then turned back to Elliot with a look of disbelief.

"Without even talking to me about it?" She asked sharply.

"Is was sort of last minute. She wanted to interview someone here in Queens but it got too late and it's a waste of gas to drive her all the way back to Manhattan and back."

"Elliot, I don't think it's a good idea for her to stay here."

"Why not?"

"You know damn well, why. You and I are already hanging by a string here and bringing your "hot" partner into the house is only making things worse."

"The kids like her. I don't see what your problem is." Then he thought about it, "Is this what it's all about? You're jealous of her?"

Kathy ignored the question, "When will she be leaving?"

"Tomorrow, after breakfast. So you don't have to worry about her staying long. When she leaves, I'm going with her. We have an important case to work out."

"Elliot, you're barely home. You're never with your family. What's so important about this that you can't take a day for us?"

Elliot was enraged, "Kathy, Olivia was raped the other night and who knows where the bastard is right now. He could rape again because she's not the first victim and I'm pretty damn sure she's not the last."

Kathy stared at him for a moment and blinked, "Well, Elliot, don't even think about coming upstairs. You can join her on the couch." She hissed and stormed back upstairs. For once, he was happy to be sleeping on the couch. At least he was with someone with a warm heart. When Elliot turned back to Olivia, she was sitting up and staring at him. It was dark but he could tell she had been awake and heard everything. Elliot let out a deep breath and sat down next to her.

"I can find a way back to Manhattan, El. It's no problem."

"No, Olivia. Don't listen to her. Kathy likes to find anything to fuel a fight. It has nothing to do with you." He looked over at her and smiled, "She may not be so happy to see you but I'm sure the kids will be excited."

Olivia chuckled and looked down, "Yeah. The kids." She said almost solemnly. Olivia thought more and more about her chances of having kids ever since they had that case with the stolen embryos. She glanced at him and smiled faintly. Then, she stretched out on the couch. Elliot shifted himself next to her and looked at her from behind. He had to ask her.

"Liv, what happened at Sealview?" He whispered.

Olivia stared ahead and sighed, "I told you before Elliot. Nothing happened."

"Then what happened the other night? Did he say anything to you?"

"No, Elliot, he didn't. Good night." She breathed and didn't speak for the rest of the night. Elliot only sighed and began to drift off into his own sleep. Olivia thought about Sealview and then the abandoned parking lot. A few tears escaped her eyes before she closed them and fell asleep. The only thing that helped her fall asleep that night was Elliot's warm and strong body protecting her.

**The Following Morning**

"No…no. Please…don't. Elliot…Elliot…Help me…"

"Olivia."

"Elliot.."

"Olivia!"

"El…"

"Olivia, wake up!"

Olivia's eyes opened when she heard a loud voice and felt something poking her cheek. Her eyes focused on a little blonde boy standing in front of her. A group of other children sat in front of her. Baby Eli, now walking, stood directly in front of her and stared at her with large blue eyes. Kathleen and Dickie remained after Maureen and Elizabeth left once she woke up.

"Livvy!" Eli squealed. Olivia only smiled and sat up.

"Hi, Eli!" She said and then looked at Kathleen and Dickie. The two were smiling like they knew something. Olivia looked at them, slightly confused, as she took Eli on her lap.

"Morning, Olivia." Dickie said. "Feeling okay?"

"I'm fine." Olivia said with doubt in her voice. She gently bounced Eli on her knee and waited for the point to be made.

"That must've been some nightmare you had." Kathleen said. Olivia knew where this was going. She was talking in her sleep again. Olivia felt her face grow hot with embarrassment.

"What makes you say that?" She asked coolly,

The two giggled, Eli only stared blankly at them then turned to Olivia with hopes for an answer he could understand. "Ever since our dad woke up, you've been mumbling his name. Over and over again." Kathleen told her. Olivia leaned back and ran her fingers through her hair and looked away from that. Eli noticed her distress and snuggled up against her.

"If I didn't know any better, I would think you've fallen for him." Kathleen prodded.

"That's an understatement, Kathleen." Dickie said. "You should've seen her when I asked her if she slept with him. She said no but the look in her eyes could've fooled me."

Kathleen looked over at Olivia, "Do you, Olivia? Do you like our dad?"

"Where's your mother?" Olivia asked almost instantly in response as she cradled Eli.

"She's talking to dad in the kitchen."

"More like chastising."

Olivia stood up and walked over to the kitchen. She stopped in the doorway when she heard Kathy's voice. She didn't even pay attention to what she was telling Elliot. Olivia was sick of hearing Kathy and Elliot arguing.

"If it's such a problem, Kathy, I'll go now. El, you stay here. Your family needs you." She said. She set down Eli and almost on cue, he ran to Elliot and hugged his father's leg. "Thanks for letting me stay the night, Kathy." She told her with a modest smile and turned and walked out.


	5. Attached

Chapter Five: Attached

Olivia walked out of the house and up to the car. When she pulled on the handle, the door didn't open. She searched her pockets only to realize Elliot had the car keys.

"Looking for something?" Elliot asked from the other side of the car. He was teasing her by dangling the keys in the air. "I said you couldn't do this on your own, Liv."

"Stay home, El. I can handle this by myself. Give me the keys." She said and reached over the car. She held out her hand but for a split second, Elliot focused on her cleavage that emerged. _This is serious._ He reminded himself and looked back at her eyes. She was waiting for a response.

"I like adventures." Elliot told her with a shrug of his shoulders.

"But you like your family more." Olivia retorted. "Give me the keys, Elliot."

Elliot only responded by jingling the keys to taunt her. Olivia let out a sigh of frustration and walked over to him. He raised the keys in the air only for her to reach as far as she could, her body pressed against his and he could smell her naturally sweet fragrance on her skin. If only he could wrap his arms around her and never let go.

"What the hell are you doing?" She asked.

"I like driving too." Elliot replied with a wink and snaked his way around her to the driver's side. He unlocked the door and got into the car. Olivia watched him in disbelief and eventually got into the car.

"I hate you." She said flatly.

"Lying won't get you behind the wheel either."

Olivia sighed, "This is his mother's address. If Harris is hiding at this address, he's not going to let her answer the door to two cops."

Elliot looked at her for a moment, "The only way a mother will let a stranger in if they come to the door with something that will catch both of their attention."

The two drove to the first address. It was a small townhouse that looked identical to the others, except this one had a huge, colorful, garden in front of it.

"You'd never expect a rapist to be raised in places like these." Olivia muttered as they walked up the brick path. It was almost like a fairytale house come to life. Flowers lined the clean pathway and the windowsills.

"It's so cute, it's creepy." Elliot commented as he examined the pink flowers.

Olivia knocked on the door and an older woman answered. She had kind eyes and a sweet smile. She could be the ideal grandmother.

"Hello," She said kindly, "May I help you?"

"Hi Mrs. Harris. I'm Carrie Neal. This is my coworker, Nate Wright. We're training to be reporters with the New York Times. We're currently writing an article about prison guards and their careers. Is your son available for an interview?"

Mrs. Harris seemed hesitant but remained polite, "I'm sorry. Lowell is out of town right now and I'm not sure when he'll be back but I'll let him know you came back. Have a nice day." She began to close the door but Olivia stopped it with her hand.

"Mrs. Harris, wait, perhaps you can tell us what it's like as a mother with a son that has such a demanding job." Olivia suggested. She stopped and thought about it. She looked at them and then let them in.

"May I get you something?" She asked the two. They both declined and sat down. Olivia took out a notepad and asked a few questions.

"May I use your bathroom?" Elliot inquired. She nodded and directed him to the bathroom. As soon as Elliot was out of their sight, began to search the house. He made sure not to make a lot of noise as well as take too long since Olivia was improvising. He knew he didn't have a warrant so he made sure to keep everything as he found it. He walked into what seemed like Harris' old room. When he figured there was nothing helpful there, he turned around and was proven wrong. A collection of pictures were posted to the wall, and on the dresser. Each picture was either a photograph, newspaper clipping, or magazine clipping about Olivia. Elliot silently opened the top drawer. The drawer contained weapons prison guards used as well as knives. Elliot quickly took pictures and closed the drawer. He rushed back into the living room after finishing up using the bathroom. Olivia glanced up at him and then turned back to Mrs. Harris.

"Thank you, Mrs. Harris. We'll be sure to see his wife next." She said and the two left.

"Bastard lived with his mother before he got married. He got married four years ago." Olivia told Elliot as they walked out of the house. "She also claimed she knew me from somewhere. I was wondering if it wasn't me who should've used the bathroom excuse."

"I'm glad you didn't." Elliot said and showed her the pictures. He noticed the slight paleness on Olivia's face when she examined them. He sent the pictures to Fin and told him to get a warrant on Harris' mother's house.

"What are you doing?" Olivia panicked, knowing she shouldn't be even doing any investigating.

"You can't get information but I can." Elliot replied.

Olivia sighed, "His mother told me that when he was upset, he liked to go to this old movie theater and watch classic movies. Maybe his wife knows something about that because she couldn't remember what it was."

"Liv, Harris has been visiting his mother since his escape. This photo is recent."

Elliot showed a zoomed in photo of Olivia leaving the precinct with Elliot and a perp they arrested a few weeks back.

"We can investigate further when we get the warrant. Right now, we need to see if his wife knows anything."

**An Hour Later**

Elliot and Olivia parked in front of a small brick apartment building. There were dogs barking in the background and Elliot noticed a few people take off running when they realized he and Olivia were cops. The two walked up a flight of stairs and knocked on the right apartment door. Instantly, a dog began barking and a woman answered it. She had thick curly black hair, bloodshot green eyes, and a very thin figure.

"Yeah?" She asked irritably.

"Mrs. Harris, we're-"

"I don't care who the hell you are. Don't call me that awful name. Call me Diana."

"Okay, Diana. I'm Detective Stabler, this is Detective Benson. We're with the NYPD and we're here to ask about Lowell."

"What'd that prick do now? I thought once they locked his ass in jail, he was gone forever." She sighed, "Come in. Make it quick." She turned into the apartment and poured a glass of vodka. Elliot and Olivia sat down, then something caught Olivia's attention. She turned to see a small child peeking around the doorframe. When the child saw that Olivia noticed her, she ran away. Olivia stood up to follow her.

"We think your husband might've escaped from jail. I just need to ask you a few questions." Elliot said in the distance. Diana didn't seem to care that Olivia was searching her house. She seemed more interested in Elliot. Olivia walked down the short hallway when she noticed the door creak open and a pair of green eyes peeping out. Olivia smiled kindly and walked towards the open door. The eyes vanished when she got close.

Olivia opened the door and saw a brown haired girl hiding in the corner of the closet with a small, scruffy, dog.

"Hi! I'm Olivia, what's your name?" Olivia said sweetly. The girl reached forward, grabbed Olivia's sleeve and tugged.

"I'm Nikki. Hurry! We have to hide!" She whispered. Olivia obediently joined her in the closet. Almost immediately, the young girl closed the door.

"What are we hiding from?" She asked the girl who couldn't be older than six.

"Mommy." The girl replied. "She has the poison out."

"What does the poison do?"

"Well, when she drinks a lot of it, it makes her an evil witch. She screams and breaks things for a long time. Sometimes, the poison makes her throw up a lot. When she does, I have to clean it up so Lucy doesn't get sick and throw up too; Lucy's my best friend. We found her outside our door. She was hungry and needed love so I gave it to her. Anyway, After mommy quiets down, she goes to sleep. That's when it's safe for me and Lucy to come out." She pointed to Lucy, her dog.

Olivia's eyebrows furrowed. She looked at Diana's daughter's arms and noticed a few bruises.

"When your mommy is an evil witch, does she hurt you?"

"Only this one time. I think it was an accident. She was an evil witch when it happened but when she was drinking, she also had a straw up her nose. It looked funny."

"Where's your daddy?" Olivia asked. She wasn't sure if this girl was Harris' child or not.

"I don't know. I've never seen him. When mommy talks to herself, she sometimes talks about how she would rather die than be married so someone who's never around." She looked down, "I just hope he's better than mommy." She whispered.

Olivia could only stare at her while she went back to when she was Nikki's age. Nikki was almost a precise image of Olivia as a child. Her thoughts were broken when she heard a shattered glass and screams.

"First you turn me down for a dumb bitch and then you think I'm hiding the man who raped me? Get the hell out, you asshole!"

Nikki instantly threw her arms around Olivia and buried her face in her shirt. "She's becoming the witch, Olivia! Please don't let her hurt me!" She pleaded. Olivia held her and comforted her. She wanted to take her and save her from her alcoholic mother.

"She won't, sweetie." Olivia whispered. Nikki began to tremble in her arms as more glass was being shattered. Olivia closed her eyes to keep her own tears from coming. She even jumped when she heard one glass break.

"I won't let her hurt you, Nikki." She spoke softly over and over again as she embraced her.


	6. Promises

**Chapter Six: Promises**

Footsteps approached the closet; they became louder and louder. Olivia held Nikki closer to her with every step she heard. She was shaking a little herself but she tried to be strong for Nikki and calm her trembling body. The first thing she could remember was when she used to hide and the consequences when her mother became an evil witch and found her. Those horrors led to the horrors of Sealview and eventually the other night when she was raped. It all flashed by in her mind so quickly. When the door opened and the light from the daylight came upon the two, Olivia blinked and let out a shaky breath before she looked over to the door. She tried to slow her pounding heart and she could tell she was almost sweating. Her breathing was rapid as well; she was possibly more afraid than Nikki who stared at her in concern.

"Olivia?" Nikki asked and tapped her shoulder.

Elliot stared at his partner with the deepest concern. Her eyes widened and were glazed over. Her face was pale and terrified.

"Liv!" He said with a clear and slightly raised voice. Olivia blinked harder and looked around. She looked up at Elliot and then at Nikki and back at Elliot. He got down on one knee and placed his hands firmly on her shoulders. Nikki rubbed her back to try and comfort her. Diana only stood in the background, smoking a cigarette, and showing no sympathy.

"Liv, are you alright? Liv?" He asked her. He brushed her hair out of her face and looked into her vacuous eyes. "Breathe, Liv. Take deep breaths. Take your time."

"Breathe, Liv." Nikki repeated, "Breathe."

"I'm okay." Olivia finally said with an unsteady tone of voice, "I'm okay." She smiled weakly at Nikki to give her some reassurance. She rubbed her back to put her at ease. The two crawled out of the closet and Olivia stood up straight, still trying to calm down. "I'm fine."

"Nicole, go to your room. The detectives are going to leave now." Diana finally spoke.

"I want to go with Olivia, mommy." Nikki declared. Olivia looked at her with a small smile but couldn't help but feel terrible because she knew she couldn't take Nikki with her. Diana's eyes turned even more malicious than they were before as she glared down at her daughter.

"Say that one more time and you're going to wish you hadn't. Now take that rat and get to your damn room."

Nikki took Lucy into her arms and rushed to her room. Olivia reached into her coat pocket and took out one of her cards. When it was safe, she slipped her card underneath Nikki's bedroom door.

"Thank you for your time, Diana. Let's go, Liv." Elliot pulled Olivia by her arm. Diana was glaring murderously at Olivia. Olivia looked at her and then at Elliot with confusion. Then, Olivia looked over her shoulder and saw a pair of green eyes peering out from a door that was slightly opened. One hand was visible and it was holding Olivia's card.

When the two left the house, Olivia was silent most of the walk to the car.

"I told her you were my girlfriend. She was beginning to come onto me." Elliot told her with a light chuckle, "I didn't want to tell her about Kathy and the kids. Who knows what she's capable of?" He finished telling her as they approached the car. Elliot unlocked the door and was about to get in when he noticed Olivia leaning against her side of the car.

"If you want to drive this time, Liv…" Elliot began and held out the keys to her.

Olivia didn't respond to anything he said since they left and didn't react to him giving her the keys. She didn't know what to say, really. Secretly, she wished she really could be Elliot's girlfriend so he could tell people those things without lying about it. Olivia only stared ahead at run down apartment building they just left. She continued to remain silent.

"Liv?" Elliot walked over to her, wrapped his arm around her shoulders and rubbed the shoulder that his hand touched.

"Get a search warrant on Diana's apartment. She might be hiding and using illegal drugs." Olivia said flatly. Elliot didn't react, he knew there was something more. She looked over at Elliot, finally. "Tell them to take Nikki and Lucy somewhere safe."

"What'd she tell you in the closet?" Elliot asked as he pulled out his phone.

"Diana's an alcoholic and doesn't care about Nikki. The only contact they have is when Nikki is cleaning up after her mother or when her mother hits her. She's never met her father. I think she's a product of rape, too. She's probably six years old and being treated like a damn slave, El."

"Liv, I don't think what you hear from a kid is enough to get us very far."

"Do what you can, Elliot! I'm not letting her grow up like I did and go through everything I went through! I'm not letting her be like me." Tears beaded in her eyes. Elliot stood in front of her, held her shoulders firmly, and stared directly into her eyes.

"Olivia, this world needs more people like you. If that little girl grows up to be even half of what you are now, then she'll be one of the greatest people around." He continued to look into her tear filled eyes, "But you, Liv, you're perfect and don't let anyone tell you otherwise." He said sternly.

Olivia looked into his eyes for a little bit. All of her emotions mixed into one and she didn't know how to react to it. She felt angry with herself for letting all of this happen and wanted to shoot something. She felt upset for leaving Nikki in such an abusive household and putting Elliot through possible suspension if they close this case. Then she felt love struck from Elliot's words and care. That seemed to take her over the most. Olivia looked back into his eyes and leaned in a little towards his lips. Elliot didn't move away nor did he say anything in protest. Olivia continued to lean forward and then she caught herself doing something she shouldn't be doing. Elliot was married with five kids. She wasn't going to be the final decision for a divorce. Instead of kissing him, she wrapped her arms around him and gave him a hug.

"Just promise me you'll do the best you can, El." She whispered in his ear and pulled away. She smiled faintly at him and then got into the car. Elliot didn't say anything, he only watched her. He had to keep that promise to her as well as many other ones. He still wanted to protect her but in a different way. He wanted to keep her safe and love her at the same time. Elliot wasn't going to ignore the fact that he was in love with his partner anymore. He just had to show it to her.


	7. Breakdown

**Chapter Seven: Breakdown**

"Where do we go from here?" Elliot asked.

"We're waiting for my DNA on those weapons to provide evidence for a court." Olivia sighed impatiently.

"Well, while we're doing that, wanna grab something to eat?" Elliot wanted to sit down with her and tell her how he felt.

"I'm not hungry, but if you want to stop we can."

"Have you eaten at all since your attack, Liv?" Elliot asked with concern. Olivia stayed silent. Elliot's frustrated sigh made Olivia say something.

"I've been snacking. I'm not starving myself."

Elliot didn't say anything. Instead, he found a nearby diner and pulled into the driveway. Olivia let out a sigh, knowing Elliot was ready to drag her out of the car if she was going to resist. She got out and the two entered the diner. When they sat down, it was quiet between them.

"Liv, I have to tell you something." Elliot finally said.

"If it's about anything that happened since Sealview-"

"No, it's about you and me."

Olivia became concerned. She feared it was something bad. If another terrible thing happened to her, she'd probably go crazy.

"I've been thinking about this for a while now and-"

Elliot stopped when he heard Olivia's phone ring. She checked the caller and immediately brought it to her ear. She held up one finger to Elliot and went outside near the car. Greetings weren't necessary, she knew why he was calling.

"Elliot told me you two were workin' the case together. You're gettin' yourself too deep, Olivia. Cragen's gonna have your ass when he finds out."

"Oh my God, I'm not having this conversation now. If you only called to lecture me…"

"No, I called because Elliot also told me what happened with you and that little girl. He's caught up in what's wrong with you because you won't tell him anything. What happened?"

"I got a little jumpy, Fin, it's no big deal. I don't even know why Elliot had to say anything to anybody."

"From what he told me, 'jumpy' is just an understatement. You freaked out, Liv. What was the flashback about this time?"

"Everything." Olivia sighed.

"Starting with?"

"My mother."

There was silence. Fin didn't know what to tell her about the trauma she experienced with her mother.

"You have to tell Elliot, Liv. About what happened, your PTSD, everything. It'll make things easier, for the both of you."

Olivia thought about what he told her but the thoughts were broken by a sudden outburst of shouts. Munch being the clearly audible one Olivia could hear.

"Fin? What's going on?"

"We got to Harris' mother's house and the place was broken in. Mrs. Harris is nowhere to be found. We're still checkin' the place out but you might want to go to Diana's house."

Olivia let it register for a second, then it hit her.

"Shit." She hissed and hung up the phone without even saying anything to Fin. She stormed into the diner. Elliot was about to order something when Olivia cut in.

"We have to go." She said, her face was distressed.

"What? Why?"

"Elliot, I'll tell you in the car. Get up." She demanded.

Elliot stood up and followed Olivia out to the car. Olivia got into the driver's side, turned on the car, all before Elliot could even open his door. When he was in, Olivia sped off back to the apartments.

"Can you please tell me what the hell is going on, Liv?" Elliot asked.

"Harris found out we're looking for him. He broke into his mother's house and now she's nowhere to be found. Nikki could be next."

"And Diana?"

"For the way she treats Nikki? She can burn in hell."

Elliot was stunned. He's never recalled Olivia being so angry. Her words were so venomous that they made chills run down Elliot's spine. The only sound that was being made was the humming engine from the speeding car. Finally, they pulled up to the dark apartment building. Olivia jumped out and ran up the apartment. The door was forced open. She and Elliot pulled out their guns and snuck around the corner.

The house was trashed. Furniture was tossed over, glass was shattered, and everything felt cold and empty. Olivia directed Elliot to investigate one area of the house while she went straight for Nikki's room. The door was practically off its hinges.

"No, no, no, no, no!" Olivia whispered to herself repeatedly.

"Nikki? Nikki!" She called out, with her gun still in her hands. She entered the small room and it didn't take long to come to the conclusion she wasn't there. The room was tiny with just a mattress on the floor and a lamp on a table.

"Liv!" Elliot called out. Olivia ran to where Elliot was. He was standing over a limp body. It was Diana's.

"She's dead." Elliot said without emotion.

"I can't find Nikki." Olivia replied worriedly. "Harris got her and she's probably dead too." Tears began to fill her eyes and she kneeled down with her back against the wall. She cupped her hands together and held them over her mouth. The tears began to pour out of her eyes. Elliot crouched down beside her and took her into his arms.

"She reminded me so much of myself." Olivia told him. "Living with an alcoholic mother, an absent rapist of a father. Barely having any friends because you don't want to get too close and find out the truth." She felt stroke her hair while she rested her head on his chest She took a few moments of silence to listen to his heartbeat.

"He assaulted me in Sealview, Elliot." She whispered, "If Fin didn't stop him, he would've raped me. Harris escaped from prison just so he could finish what he started. Before I blacked out, he told me that I wasn't going to get away with what I did to him." She shook her head in disbelief, "And now I let Nikki down. I promised I wouldn't let anything hurt her."

"There's still some time to find her. We have one place left to look for them until we're out of options." Elliot looked into her uncertain eyes with his warm ones, "You can either stay here and wait until Cragen has your ass for going against orders or you can continue the investigation, find Nikki, find Harris, then go back to New York and let Cragen have your ass then."

"I don't like the end result of either of those options." Olivia sniffled.

"Well, I'll have your back either way."

A small smile spread across Olivia's face as she looked up at Elliot. He pulled her close to him once more, this time he felt Olivia's lips on his cheek. Then he heard a whisper in his ear.

"Thanks, El."

Elliot blinked and the next thing he saw was Olivia going to the car. Then he heard police sirens from the precinct in the distance. Once he waited for them to take over, he joined Olivia in the car and drove to their next destination.


	8. Hostage

**Chapter Eight: Hostage**

Wheels screeched to a halt as the black car stopped a few feet away from the old and empty cinema. The architecture was thoughtfully put together but the leaves and garbage that surrounded it covered up its beauty. The sign was shabby but still legible. "Queens Cinema" it displayed in faded, red, letters. The once elegant doors that opened for celebrities were hanging loosely on its hinges. The cement pathway was covered in leaves and struggled to peek out beneath them. This building was once the top of it's game and now was hiding a wanted rapist.

Olivia and Elliot exited the car and snuck up the pathway with their guns loaded and ready. They knew he was hiding here. The disturbed doors were slightly open and there were light footprints in the soil surrounding the entrance. The two detectives crept closer to the doors and slid their way inside. The building was dark and full of obstacles. Olivia turned to Elliot and waited for him to command the next move. They eventually split up, checked numerous theaters and bathrooms. It wasn't until when Olivia walked out to the lobby to tell Elliot she didn't find anything, Elliot wasn't there.

"El?" Olivia called out. The only light that guided her was the moon shining through the windows. She scolded herself for not taking the flashlights in the car with them. Olivia made her way in and out of the theaters. She found the last theater and opened the dusty, plush, doors.

"Elliot?" She cried and made her way further in. She stopped in her tracks when she felt the barrel to a gun pressed to her lower back. Suddenly, a light flickered on behind her.

"Miss me already?" Hissed a voice. "Did you go through all of this trouble just for another round?" A cold hand ran down her back and snaked its way underneath her shirt, rubbed her waist, and took her gun. His touch made her skin crawl and chills ran down her back. He pressed the gun further into her head to make her walk. Instead, Olivia rammed her elbow into Lowell Harris' stomach. She ducked in time for the gun to go off and luckily miss her skull. She grabbed her gun in the process. As soon as he was down, her gun was aimed right at him.

"Where's Nikki?" Olivia breathed as she stood over the fallen rapist.

"She's perfectly safe in daddy's care." He coughed out and his lips curled into a devious and vile smirk. "Your partner is joining her as we speak, Olivia, but you're never going to find either of them if you just take me away."

"What do you want?"

"Put your gun down and I'll show you where they are and all of us can walk out safely."

Olivia scrutinized him, her heart was pounding, her hands were shaking, but her aim remained on the man who raped her. He had his hands up in defense and stared at her dead in the eye.

"I don't believe you." Olivia whispered.

"Let me prove it to you. Take me to the projection room" Harris replied. He slowly got up, his hands still raised, and walked over to her. She obliged and led him the room above the audience seats. She kept her gun positioned to his back as he walked. When they got to the room, he turned on the camera and it projected a live recording of Elliot and Nikki tied to chairs in another room.

"There's a bomb in that room and it's counting down every single second. Good luck finding them."

Olivia listened but she was focused on their surroundings on the screen. She wasn't looking when Harris whipped around and punched her in the jaw. Olivia almost lost her balance but she quickly regained it. Her gun slid across the floor and Harris dashed out of the room. Snatching her gun off the floor, Olivia chased after Harris. She tried her best to keep up with him. She followed him behind the concession stand down to a basement. It was cold and full with old props and movie reels.

Olivia kept quiet as she made her way towards the center of the basement. When she took another step closer, she got to see Elliot and Nikki tied to the chairs she saw on the screen.

"Don't get any closer, or I'll blow everybody up!" Harris shouted and stood behind them. He had a gun pressed to Elliot's temple and a remote for the explosives in the hand that was near Nikki. Elliot looked calm but Nikki was crying. Their mouths were taped but she could tell they were begging for help.

"Put down the gun and let them go, Harris. It's me you want. Not them." Olivia said.

"Yeah but you're tough when you're invulnerable. I had to catch your partner by surprise but the little girl was no problem."

Olivia looked at him with fear but she remained strong.

"Tell you what, I'll let you talk to your partner." He ripped the tape off of Elliot's mouth. Elliot reacted with a grunt and then focused Olivia.

"Liv, everything's okay. Don't believe anything he tells you."

"Would you believe me if I said I'm going take him out with one shot if you try anything."

"Don't believe him, Liv."

"Make your move, Olivia! Or are you stalling until your little police friends join us?"

Olivia shook her head, "No, it's just us. Nobody's coming."

"Shoot him, Olivia. He assaulted you, he raped you, he deserves to die!"

"Or how about your little friend?" He said and moved the gun to Nikki's head. Olivia inhaled sharply and looked into Nikki's terrified and teary eyes.

"Don't get her involved." Olivia demanded, "Put the gun down and we'll discuss this."

"How would you live knowing that you got a little girl killed?"

"She has nothing to do with this. Please just let her go."

"Let's find out, shall we?" He grabbed Nikki by the arm with the gun still to her head and turned to Elliot, "You, my friend, have exactly seven minutes until this basement explodes and goes up in flames. I think you're in quite a dilemma, Olivia."

After that, he ran off. Olivia made her way to Elliot's bound wrists and began to play with rope, trying her best to loosen it.

"Go get Nikki, Liv! He's going to kill her! I'll find a way out."

"El, I can-"

"No, it'll be too late! Go!"

Olivia hesitated but eventually followed Harris and Nikki. Elliot could hear the beeping coming from a hidden bomb. He fidgeted and then relaxed. He could feel the rope loosen little by little but he knew he had to speed things up before it was too late. In the palm of his hand, he felt a slight tickle. When he was able to grasp it, he realized it was the string from the rope. With a few strenuous pulls, Elliot's hands were free. He untied his feet and frantically decided whether he should go find Olivia or try and disable the bomb. He reached for his radio and spoke into it.

"This is Elliot Stabler, Special Victims Unit. I need backup and a bus at the Queens Theater at 328 South Avenue, Queens New York. I have an explosive that's bound to go off any moment and one hostage."

He found the source of the beeping but it wasn't a bomb. It was a tape recorder that was playing continuous beeps. Elliot was nervous but he pressed the pause button. Nothing happened and the beeping stopped. Elliot let out a deep breath and went to go find Olivia. The sound two gun shots firing made Elliot jump.

These two shots were not a recording.

**Author's Note: I'm going to change the rating to M for a scene in the next chapter! **


	9. Entaglement

**Author's Note: For this chapter, the rating is now M. There will be a big scene that requires rating change. Also, this is going to be the second to last chapter.**

**Chapter Nine: Entanglement**

"Liv!" Elliot shouted, "Olivia! Say something!"

He turned corners, jumped over boxes, and dodged a few things hanging from the ceiling but he managed to find the spot where the gun went off. Elliot approached the situation and examined the dead body. The gun was still targeting it and it was shaking a little.

"It's okay." Elliot murmured. He wrapped both of his hands around her trembling ones that held the gun and gently forced them downward. "Liv? Can you hear me?" Elliot asked.

"He's dead." She finally spoke, "I killed him." Her voice was shaking; she was astonished by what she's done.

"Olivia, what-"

Sirens and screeching tires entered the background. The noise was faint but still audible. Olivia looked at Elliot in shock. She wanted to just go home but she couldn't leave Elliot to face Cragen himself.

"Olivia?" Came another voice

Olivia turned to see Nikki coming from behind a box. Olivia let out a deep breath and took Nikki into her arms.

"You were so brave, sweetie. I'm so proud of you." Olivia praised her and hugged her tightly. She felt Elliot's strong hand on her lower back and she looked over at him with a calmer smile. At that moment, she felt like she had the family she's always wanted. He smiled warmly at her and began walking out of the theater.

Ambulances and police cars surrounded the building. Olivia went with Elliot to one of the buses while some paramedics took Nikki to another. After they treated Elliot, Olivia sat next to him on the edge of the ambulance.

"What made you kill him?" Elliot asked.

Olivia let out a deep sigh, "He was going to kill Nikki, the gun was fixed to her head. Then he threatened all of us with the bomb. I had to."

The two sat in silence while a couple of medics carried a body bag and put it away. As soon as they were out of sight, Nikki came racing towards Olivia. She climbed into her lap and snuggled against her. Olivia looked over at Elliot, knowing they had to tell Nikki about her mother.

"Where's Lucy, Olivia?" Nikki asked, clearly showing no concern for her abusive mother. Olivia froze and her gaze at Elliot turned into more worry than before. By the look on Elliot's face, he didn't have an answer for her.

"Is this Lucy? We were wonderin' who she belonged to." Fin said as he approached the group with a happy dog in his arms. He handed Nikki her friend and then turned to Olivia. Nikki released her grasp on Olivia to take her scruffy friend in her arms.

"You did good, soldier." He said to Olivia.

"You did great, Olivia. Even though it was against my orders." Cragen said and walked up next to Fin. He motioned her with one finger, "Come with me, please."

Olivia sighed, she knew this was going to happen eventually. She expected the worst.

"Nikki, go with Elliot, okay? I'll see you later." She gave Nikki a hug and Nikki slid next to Elliot. The two pet Lucy and talked to one another. Elliot couldn't help but watch Olivia and Cragen walk off. He wanted to go after them and take the blame for Olivia, or at least defend her any possible way he could, but there was nothing he could say to make things better.

"This hasn't been the first time you've gone against my orders. I specifically told you _not_ to get involved, Olivia. I should have you suspended for everything you've done. By getting involved you got a woman killed and put a child in danger. Give me one good reason why I shouldn't fire your ass right now."

"The man who raped dozens of women, escaped from jail, and raped me won't be hurting anyone else from now on." Olivia said.

Cragen exhaled with frustration, "Go home, Benson. Don't come back to work until all of this has melted off, do you understand me?"

"Yes, sir." Olivia said and was given the keys to a spare car. She got into the car and rode off without saying anything.

**Two Hours Later**

Olivia's apartment was dark and the only light was the bright moon that beamed through the windows. Olivia sat on the window ledge, deep in thought, and looking down the outside activity from behind the glass window. Everything inside her apartment was quiet until she heard a knock on the door.

"It's open!" She called out and didn't turn her attention away from the aerial view of the city.

The door opened, "You should know from past experiences that I could be a killer out to get you, Olivia."

"I saw your car pull up in front of the building, smartass."

"How long have you been sitting there?"

"Since I got home."

Elliot walked up behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders, joining her street studying.

"I start work sometime next week. Cragen isn't happy about it though." She turned to him, "Where's Nikki?"

"They took her to the hospital for more tests. She's fine but they just want to make sure. They found Harris' mother too. They're putting her on trial tomorrow." Olivia nodded and turned back to the window. "Hey, come over to the couch. I'll get you something to drink." He took Olivia's hand and led her to the sofa. When she was sitting down, he found a pitcher of water. He poured two glasses and went back to her.

"You know everything you've done was truly amazing, Liv. For Nikki and for all the women Harris would've attacked if you didn't make a big effort to catch him. You can't deny that." Elliot said.

Olivia stayed silent. She only looked at Elliot but when they looked at each other for a long enough time, Olivia looked away and out of the window. She didn't agree or disagree with him but there was a strong feeling of regret inside of her.

"I didn't have to kill him." She whispered.

"If it meant saving the lives of innocent people, then yes you did and you did whatever it took."

Olivia looked over at him, "How did you defuse the bomb? It never went off, did it?"

"The beeping was prerecorded. There was never any bomb. The gun he had was loaded though."

Olivia wasn't even thirsty. She set down her glass and leaned back onto the couch. She let out a deep sigh and closed her eyes, "How could I be so stupid?" She muttered.

"Liv, you're not stupid." Elliot set down his glass and placed his hand on her shoulder. "You're amazing."

Olivia opened her eyes and looked at him. He was looking directly into her dark eyes.

"You're beautiful."

He advanced towards her.

"You're incredible."

His hand progressed from her shoulder to her cheek. He touched it lightly and stroked it comfortingly with his thumb. He took a few moments to enjoy the luminous moon shining on the two of them. Olivia's eyes never left his. They were big with curiosity and anticipation. She wanted to make the first move but she wanted Elliot to do it more. With every inch forward, their eyes closed little by little. She could feel his lips brush against hers. Not fully kissing her but teasing her. They both knew how long they've waited for a moment like this to happen. The temptation and the desire for one another. Elliot's hand moved from her cheek to her hair, he brushed her bangs out of her face and pressed his lips onto hers.

Elliot was close to her. Their lips lightly grazing each other. Every time he breathed in, he inhaled her sweet scent that always excited him. Her lips were soft and warm. Her hair was like the finest silk. Elliot wanted her, all of her. He didn't want to hide his feelings for her anymore and he knew she felt the same. He could feel and hear her release one shaky breath, she was nervous and a little impatient. He gave her what she wanted, what they both wanted, all along. That one kiss neither of them experienced with no other person before.

The sparks were flying. Olivia could feel the fire ignite in her cheeks but that didn't stop her. It only provoked her. She took his bottom lip between her teeth and tugged on it playfully. Elliot smiled and let her force him on his back. Her hair fell over her shoulder as she gazed into his eyes. Then, she went back to kissing him. Her lips parted and her tongue came out to play. The two engaged in French kissing until his strong hands moved underneath her shirt.

"Let's go to your room." Elliot suggested. Olivia smiled and stood up, took his hand, and led him to her bedroom.

Elliot shut the door behind him and Olivia pulled him close to her by his collar. Their bodies touched, their warmth was being exchanged. Olivia began to undo the buttons on his shirt hastily. His lips were on her neck, softly biting on her neck bone. He felt his shirt come off and her hands traveled to his belt. He pulled her shirt off of her and threw it out of their way. Her jeans came off and fell next to his own pair. He fell back onto her bed with his partner on top of him.

Olivia sat on his robust stomach in her bra and underwear. He could feel the warmth of her arousal. It was good to know she wanted this as much as he did. She undid her bra and tossed it aside.

"You're gorgeous, Liv." He told her in a husky voice and pulled her towards him for another kiss. He ran his hands down her body. His touch was gentle and caring. Olivia rolled onto her back and removed her underwear. While she kissed him, she used her hand to search and locate her nightstand drawer. She pulled out a condom and tore the package. When Elliot noticed this, he looked at her for confirmation. Olivia only smiled.

After the condom was on, Elliot kissed Olivia as he slowly entered her. Olivia's body tensed but Elliot kissed her neck to help her relax. He pushed further into her and a soft moan escaped Olivia's pretty lips. Olivia wrapped her arms around his neck and dug her fingers into his back. His thrusts sped up every so often and their groans became more constant and in sync with one another. He looked down at his partner, now his lover, and noticed she was already looking into his dazzling sky blue eyes. Her coffee colored eyes were sparkling, her face was red with exhaustion but she still looked beautiful. His face was red and tiny beads of sweat coated his forehead. Both of them could feel the sensational climax that was building. Olivia's moans became louder, more high pitched.

"El," She exhaled, "Elliot."

Olivia was the first to climax. Her contractions only provoked Elliot to finish soon after her.

Elliot removed himself from her and his arms shook with fatigue. He lied down next to her and disposed of the used condom. He rolled on his side and looked at her. She was smiling and her eyes were happy. Elliot wrapped his arms around his partner and pulled her next to him. Olivia closed her eyes as she felt Elliot's warm body. She felt his heavy breathing and his pounding heart against her back.

Elliot ran his fingers through her hair and kissed the back of her neck lovingly. Olivia closed her eyes and indulged in his gentle touch. His strong arms wrapped around her slim waist and he took her hand into his. Her body relaxed and she drifted off into a peaceful sleep.


	10. Escape

**Author's Note: This is the last chapter to this story! I really loved writing this one!**

**Chapter Ten: Escape**

It was about eight in the morning and Olivia woke up to someone shaking her gently. She rolled over to see Elliot awake and balancing on his arm. It took her a second to gather their previous nighttime activities. She smiled warmly but the look on Elliot's face wasn't smiling back. He looked worried and upset.

"What's wrong, El?" She asked tiredly and sat up on her elbows.

"Kathy called me five times last night and left me three messages. I need to go home. Eli's got a cold, Kathleen came home drunk again, and Dickie's grades are slipping." Elliot sighed, "Kathy is panicking about where I am."

Olivia's face darkened, realizing and remembering that Elliot did have another life, "Alright. I'll see you at work." She said. Elliot nodded and kissed her lightly on the lips. Olivia didn't return the kiss as genuinely as she would've if she didn't know the reason to Elliot's sudden leave. She watched him get dressed, say goodbye, and leave her apartment. Olivia fell back on her bed and let out a shaky sigh. She felt like an idiot to think everything would be okay after that one night. Olivia knew that she and Elliot could never have a romantic relationship despite how much she loved him. Elliot already had a family to take care of and Olivia didn't want to be the burden.

Was this casual sex, then? Olivia came to the conclusion that it was. She couldn't help but feel dirty and pathetic. She scolded herself being so easy after being raped. She felt deplorable for thinking Elliot loved her; they never even said those three words the previous night. Olivia was sure Elliot wasn't this kind of person, the kind to just leave after something so special. Maybe it was her own poor judgment to think that something could come out of this. Olivia turned on her side and covered herself with the sheets. She looked out at the morning sky alone.

**One Week Later**

The Tuesday that Olivia was supposed to return to work, was just like any other day. Except it wasn't with Olivia. Nobody saw her come to work that day and people became concerned. Elliot mostly. All day he tried to call her but there was no answer. They haven't had a personal conversation since the night they slept with one another. Elliot couldn't help but feel that Olivia's absence had something to do with that.

"Anybody know where Liv is?" Elliot finally asked openly, her disappearance was killing him. Nobody answered but by the look on some of their faces, they knew the answer. Feeling irritated and a bit foolish, Elliot went back to his work. At the times he couldn't focus, he tried dialing Olivia's number, still no answer.

**Later On That Night**

Elliot was the last one at the precinct. He was about to leave when he heard movement somewhere. No one was supposed to be back at this hour. Elliot had his hand on his gun and snuck around the corner. He saw a figure at the desk across from his.

"Olivia?" He asked and relaxed. He walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her. Olivia didn't move nor did she comply when he tried to kiss her.

"Elliot, I can't." She said and moved away.

"What happened, Liv? Is it something I did?"

"No, Elliot. You did nothing wrong. I made the stupid decisions."

"What are you talking about?"

"If I got a ride home that night, then I wouldn't have gotten attacked but I did. Then, I got you involved, which put your job at risk. If I hadn't gotten you involved then you wouldn't have any problems with your family now and Cragen wouldn't have a problem with you. I almost got you killed because I let you help me with this case. If none of this happened, then we wouldn't end up sleeping together."

Elliot's eyebrow raised, "Is that what made you so reclusive?" He walked over to her and took her hands in his, "Olivia, I _wanted_ to get involved with you in that case and that night was incredible. I don't regret a single moment of it."

Olivia slipped her hands out of his grasp, "I didn't either until you left early that morning. It made me realize what a big mistake I made by letting you into my room, letting you cheat on your wife. I'm not going to make any more mistakes with you."

"What are you talking about, Liv?"

"I'm not going to be the one to put you in danger anymore, El. I'm not going to be the reason your job in danger, next time. I'm not going to be your mistress, either. I don't want to be in competition with your wife and five kids."

Then she began to pack up her personal things on her desk and putting them in her bag.

"What are you doing?" Elliot asked in a slightly panicked tone of voice.

"We've sacrificed so much for each other and put each other in danger many times. It sometimes steers us away from what's really important and that's the people we're trying to help. You need someone who won't cause you to do that anymore."

"Olivia-"

"I talked to Cragen the other day. I told him we couldn't be partners."

Elliot swallowed strenuously.

"He didn't agree at first but then I told him what happened. He still felt I was making a bad choice but we ended up talking about relocating me. Right now, I'm back in Computer Crimes but that might be temporary."

Elliot only looked at her with a glassy stare. Olivia gave him a weak smile and grabbed the last of her things. When she was about to walk out, Elliot sped up behind her and gently placed his hand on her shoulder. She stopped but didn't turn around

"Olivia, I love you." He finally said.

Olivia finally turned around in a bit of a shock but soon simmered down to a look of dismay. Her lower lip trembled and her eyes began to fill with tears.

"I love you too, Elliot." She choked out but stopped Elliot by placing her hand on his chest when he rushed in to kiss her, "But that's the problem. I love you too much to focus on anything else. I don't think I could live with anything or anybody hurting you because of my negligence."

Elliot only stared at her in anguish.

A few tears ran down her cheeks, "I'm sorry." She whispered and turned around and walked out of the precinct, leaving Elliot standing alone and staring at the empty doorway.

**Fin.**

**Author's Note: Didn't like that ending? Me neither. That's why I'm writing a sequel to this story! It will be up soon so look out for it and we'll see how this new life is going to treat Elliot and Olivia! Look out for it! C:**


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